A nationwide, systematic monitoring process has been developed to provide improved estimates of recreation visitation on National Forest System lands. Methodology is presented to provide estimates of site visits and national forest visits based on an onsite sampling design of site-days and last-exiting recreationists. Stratification of the site days, based on site type...

This paper describes an effort to refine a global dynamic testing technique for evaluating the overall stiffness of timber bridge superstructures. A forced vibration method was used to measure the frequency response of several simple-span, sawn timber beam (with plank deck) bridges located in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Static load deflections were also measured to...

As many engineers begin to implement life cycle cost analyses within the preliminary bridge design phase, there is a significant need for more reliable data on the expected service life of highway bridges. Many claims are being made about the expected longevity of concrete and steel bridges, but few are based on actual performance data. Because engineers are least...

Removing excess biomass from fire-hazardous forests can serve dual purposes: enhancing the health and sustainability of forest ecosystems and supplying feedstock for energy production. The physical availability of this biomass is fairly well-known, yet availability does not necessarily translate into actual supply. We assess the perception and behavior of private...

Heirs? property is inherited land or real estate owned by two or more people as tenants in common. The property is typically passed to heirs without a will or with ?clouded title? outside the formal probate process. This type of land tenure presents problems to its owners because it is very difficult for heirs to leverage such assets to enhance property values?for...

International efforts to address global climate change will certainly include Africa?s forests, for example through efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD)(Sandker et al. 2010). Whether these efforts harm or provide new opportunities for rural people will depend on how programs are designed. In Ghana, as in many developing countries...

Covered wooden bridges proliferated in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. Today an estimated 800 covered bridge structures remain, but they are nevertheless cherished links to the technological heritage of the United States. The through-truss designs vary from the Kingpost trusses built in the craft tradition to the engineered Burr arch and Paddleford...

Ecosystem production functions for water supply, climate regulation, and water purification were estimated for 568 headwater streams and their catchments. Results are reported for nine USA ecoregions. Headwater streams represented 74-80% of total catchment stream length. Water supply per unit catchment area was highest in the Northern Appalachian Mountains ecoregion...

As engineers begin to estimate life-cycle costs and sustainable design approaches for timber bridges, there is a need for more reliable data about their durability and expected service life. This paper summarizes a comprehensive effort to assess the current condition of more than one hundred timber highway bridge superstructures throughout the United States. This...

This paper summarizes a cooperative project to assess the current condition and life expectancy of 132 timber highway bridge superstructures at locations throughout the United States. Several superstructure types were included in this comprehensive effort, of which two-thirds were sawn timber stringer systems. In-depth inspections were conducted by the project team...

This report presents a methodology for identifying land parcels that have an increased probability of being heirs property. Heirs property is inherited land passed to successive generations intestate, without clear title, typically to family members. This land ownership type is widespread among rural, African-American populations and is also thought to be pervasive in...

Heirs? property is a form of tenancy in common. It is typically inherited land passed to subsequent generations asintestate property, or property inherited outside of the formal probate process, without ?clear title.? In economicterms, this form of property ownership can result in inefficient property uses, as owners tend to under-invest in

The National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program (NHCBP), sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), was established to preserve the covered timber bridge structures that were constructed in the early 1800s. Today, many of the approximately 880 covered timber bridges still in existence in the United States are closed to vehicular traffic;...

Real property passed to subsequent generations via intestate succession (i.e., without a will) is termed a tenancy-in-common, or more colloquially, ?heirs? property.? Property may also be classed as heirs? property via an intentional simple will that divides real estate assets equally among descendants. With this kind of property ownership, co-heirs hold fractional...

Wood structural panel sheathed shear walls and diaphragms are the primary lateral-load resisting elements in wood-frame construction. The historical performance of light-frame structures in North America are very good due, in part, to model building codes that are designed to preserve life safety, as well as the inherent redundancy of wood-frame construction using wood...

Proceedings of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction--Working Commission W18--Timber Structures, 2010 August 22-26, Nelson, New Zealand [electronic resource]. Karlsruhe, Germany : Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 2010: [1 CD ROM]: 9 p.: CIB-W18/43-15-5.